James opened his mouth to argue but she held her hand up. “I’m not finished yet. Ally is an acquired taste, yes, but I’ve grown to like her. Don’t tell her that though,” she warned. “She’d be holding it over me for years. And if you were thinking clearly you would never have said that. But even if I didn’t like her, do you think this is what I’d want? That this would somehow make me happy? No! I love you, James. You. Are. My. Brother. What hurts you, hurts me. So no of course not. Clearly it’s you that has lost your mind, not us.”
James felt his emotions stretching like a rubber band. Growing tighter with every word that Isabella uttered. Finally it snapped and he walked to the railing, leaned over and hung his head.
She moved to stand next to him. Silently willing him to be the James that Ally needed him to be if he was to find her.
“Thank you,” James whispered.
Isabella looked sideways at him. “What for?”
“For saying what needed to be said. You’re right. I was being selfish, but the truth is I really do feel like I’m dying a little more inside with every hour that passes without her and I don’t know how to stop that.” He took a deep breath and looked out to the mountains that he knew Ally loved so much and tried to draw what strength from them that he could. “It’s not like she’s on holiday and I know that she is safe and sound. Vincent has her. He could be doing anything to her and I’m powerless to help her.”
Isabella squeezed his hand. “I’m not going to pretend that I know what you’re going through, because I don’t. Wherever you are is obviously a dark and painful place to be, but let Ally be your beacon of light. You’re light within the darkness. Let her lead you home, James. Then and only then will you be able to help her. And you’re not in this alone. Every single person here loves her and wants her back safe. Not for the prophecy. I don’t think anyone really cares about that aspect of things right now. But because she is a good person who deserves better than to be a captive of that monster, Vincent.”
James nodded. “You know, you’re just like her sometimes.”
Isabella snorted. “Because we’re both ridiculously good looking?”
James gave a half-smile. “No you’re both stubborn as hell, say exactly what you think, stand up for what you believe is right and have bloody tempers. Nobody else was brave enough to come out here and yell at me while I’m miserable…but Ally would have.”
Isabella started to respond but shut her mouth as she caught the scent of a vampire below them.
They both turned to stare at the creature in shock.
“James Carlisle!” It called out ominously as everyone ran outside to see what was happening.
“Where is she?!” James bellowed at the smirking vampire.
Chase muttered with concern in the background, “Why do I smell petrol?”
“The master has her. She is his to command. You’ll see her once more when the battle comes.” He pulled out a silver lighter.
“Ah,” Chase mumbled. “That’d be why.”
“No,” James roared when he noted the vampire’s intention. “Stop him!”
But it was too late. The vampire grinned even wider and dropped the lighter at his feet. By the time they had reached him, there was nothing but a pile of smoking ash. James kicked it as hard as he could sending flame grilled vampire into the air.
Every face was painted with horror.
Damian recovered first. “Tristan was right…”
“Now what?” James cried. “The only connection we had is now a pile of dust.” He kicked the pile again for good measure.
“Um…Why would he do that to himself?” Mackenzie asked.
“So we couldn’t get him to talk,” Adele answered her.
“Bit dramatic,” Logan mumbled.
“Well that’s Vincent for you,” Chase said staring at the ash.
“Yes, well that’s all bloody wonderful but I repeat, what do we do now?” James fumed and ran his hands through his hair.
“I’ll call Tristan.” Damian pulled out his phone. “Maybe he’ll have some insight.”
“The words,” James thought aloud. “Battle? What battle?”
Nobody knew the answer to that, but they all agreed that it wasn’t good.
Arabella who had joined in at the last moment, being woken from her slumber by the yelling between James and Isabella, spoke up. “One question has been answered tonight.”
“What is that?” James demanded.
“They’re in Scotland,” she said as though it was obvious. “Think about it. A vampire-gram wouldn’t be sent if she was out of the country, would it?”
“Arabella,” James said finally feeling hope again. “You’re a bloody genius!”
The corners of her mouth turned up. “No, just terribly logical.”
“Either way. At least we know that she is somewhere close by.”
James felt like a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He could begin to plan his rescue. Even if that was turning over every rock in Scotland.
Chapter Eighteen
James sat beside the rushing water and stared at the little tree sticking out from the waterfall that Ally had become attached to. It really did remind him of her. He wondered what his little tree was doing right at this minute.
Was she chained somewhere being tortured? Being turned against them? The possibilities were endless. He had to fight hard to hold onto his sanity.
What would Ally do? Would she be sitting around waiting for a sign? Waiting to form some kind of plan? Waiting for something that may never come? No. She’d be making her own plans and telling people to get out of her way or she was going to run them down. My spitfire is not a passive person by nature. Look how she was when Kat went missing! Oh God, what am I doing? I need to be out there doing something…anything, to try and bring her home.
Abruptly, he stood up. His face turned to stone with steely determination. “I know what I have to do.”
He stalked back to the house with a single purpose in mind. It was time to go and find Ally no matter what he had to do. He was at rock bottom. There was nothing left to lose but everything to gain. He pulled out his phone and dialled Tristan.
“Feel like going on a vampire killing spree?” James asked.
“I’m always up for that,” Tristan answered. “When are we leaving?”
“Tonight when everyone is asleep,” he instructed, then added. “Tell Kat she can come. We both know she’d find a way to follow us anyway.”
Tristan laughed. “Will do.”
“Meet me at the waterfall around two. And I intend to be away for as long as it takes. You alright with that?”
“Whatever you need, James. We’re both here for you.”
James ended the call. He went back home and guarded his mind with every bit of strength he had. No one could know what he was doing. He loved that everyone wanted to help, but he needed to do this on his own. Tristan was only coming along because he knew where all the vampires gathered. He could go around undetected and find information that James would need to find his love.
“Soon, little one,” he said somberly. “I’ll find you soon.”
Chapter Nineteen
Sophie saw the note as soon as she sat down at the kitchen table with her coffee. Gingerly, she reached out and picked it up. Her eyes scanned the letter and she grew more concerned with every line that she read.
When you wake, I will be gone. I can’t sit around waiting for Ally to just walk back through the door. She is in trouble. She needs me. And I will find her no matter what I have to do. She would do the same for me.
I have taken Tristan with me as he knows the locations of the bigger nests around the country. Of course, Kat has come along as well. Ally did the same for her when she needed rescuing.
I know you all love Ally and want to help her get back safely, but this is something that I have to do in my own way. Stay vigilant and do regular checks of the property borders. We still have no idea what Vincent is planning and we have
to be ready for anything.
I won’t be coming back until I have Ally.
James.
“Oh my God. I’ve got to tell the others.” She jumped up from the table clutching the letter, almost knocking her cup over in the process, and ran upstairs.
“Adele! Damian! Lounge room now!” She was pounding on the door. When she heard movement inside, she dashed onto the next door doing the same thing until everyone had been woken.
Adele and Damian were the first to walk into the room where Sophie was waiting, pale as a sheet. “What’s going on, Sophie?” Adele asked as she sat next to her on the couch.
“He’s gone,” Sophie said quietly then handed her the letter.
Adele took it from her and read it, murmuring. “Oh dear.”
Damian took the letter and read it next. “Why?” he growled. “I love my brother, but this is ridiculous. We need to stick together at a time like this.”
Adele watched Damian agitatedly pacing back and forth. “Maybe not.”
He gaped at her. “What? You agree with him?”
“I do actually,” she replied with flinty eyes, daring him to challenge her. “I should have done the same damn thing when you went missing.”
“Oh, Adele.” He seized her in his arms and held her close. “Everyone believed that I was dead. This is a different situation.”
She shrugged half heartedly. “Be that as it may, I agree with him. And like he said, we need to be more vigilant around here. Especially if he succeeds.”
“You think he will?”
“If anyone is going to find my granddaughter it’s going to be him.”
Damian nodded in agreement. “So we hold the fort here and wait till we have news.”
“News of what?” Chase asked rubbing his eyes as he entered the room.
Isabella followed closely behind him stifling a yawn. “What’s going on?”
“James is gone,” Damian informed them.
Isabella’s mouth fell open. “Gone where?”
“To find Ally,” Adele answered.
Chapter Twenty
Her eyes burned and her throat began to tighten.
Fog surrounded her. Engulfed her to the point where she felt like she was choking on it. Her arms waved trying to clear a path. It moved giving her a small vision of light. A taunting vision of a haven, but it closed again before she could stumble through.
She hissed in frustration. The coils moved up her legs, creating the illusion of being held prisoner in this purgatory. “Where am I?” she wailed out into the mist. “What am I doing here?”
Whispering carried itself on a slight breeze through the gloom. “Where are you?”
“Hello?” She called out tentatively in response and held her breath.
Silence.
The breath rushed out of her lungs, as she toppled unceremoniously to the ground and hugged her knees tightly.
“Ally…” the whisper rushed past her again.
She turned in the direction the voice had come from and stood up once more. “Who are you?”
“Come home, Ally.”
She started walking towards the sound. The misty coils parted and let her pass. She gazed around cautiously. The shadow of a man ran past her. She jumped back and swallowed a scream.
“Wake up and find your way home,” the whispered voice pleaded, pulling at her heart strings.
She felt the phantom hands on shoulders as they shoved her towards the ground.
Her body jumped and she bolted up in bed and came face to face with blue eyes gazing at her intensely.
“Hi Vincent,” she mumbled.
“Hello, Alessandra,” he returned with a curious gleam in his eye. “How are you feeling after your rest?”
She almost blurted out the truth, but something told her to withhold it. Instead she replied, “Much better,” apart from the weird dream, she added silently.
Vincent nodded the satisfaction clear on his face.
Ally rubbed her eyes as they landed on the clock beside her bed. She furrowed her eyebrows. “It’s two in the morning. Why aren’t you asleep?” She questioned.
“I’m what you’d call nocturnal,” he drawled nonchalantly.
“I have this vague feeling of being a bit nocturnal myself.”
“You were in a sense,” he confirmed.
She leaned forward in anticipation. “Really? I was right about that? Oh, tell me more please!” Ally begged, clasping her hands together in front of her.
Vincent laughed indulgently at the sight before him. “Alright,” he said, holding his hands up in front of him in mock surrender. “You were a private investigator up until a year or so ago. We met for the first time on one of your assignments.”
“Really?” she asked enraptured. “What a cool job.”
“Yes, you loved it and you were rather good at it I believe. You focused on cheating spouses that kind of thing.”
“Wow,” she said with a grin. “So how did we meet then?”
Vincent eyed her with an intense look. “You don’t remember anything?”
Why is he hesitating? And what is that probing sensation in my mind. Absently, she reached up to touch the part of her head that felt like a thin pole of steel was being thrashed against it repeatedly. Vincent watched her with blatant fascination and then as quickly as it had appeared, the mesmerising intensity was gone from his eyes. With it, so was the probing.
How odd…
“Alessandra?” Vincent prompted, compelling her to return to the moment.
“Hmm…yeah?”
His voice sharpened with annoyance as he repeated the question. “Do you remember any of this?”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” She felt a memory rising to the surface. Two forms began to take form in the fog that was her mind. She held her breath terrified that a single movement could break the concentration. Second by agonising second, the picture in her mind became clearer and clearer. She saw two men standing before her, but ignoring her presence. They both seemed so fixated on the other that she might as well have not been there…Black hair, piercing blue eyes and tight jeans came further into focus.
Vincent…
She looked to the other, he had spiked dark bitter sweet chocolate hair, was devastatingly handsome and he radiated the energy of a predator…but he was someone that she could trust with her life.
How do I know this?
A voice ran clearly in her mind. ‘Alessandra, get in your car and drive! Don’t look back.”
Wonder bloomed in her chest. That voice…I know that voice…It was the same one as in my dream!
He turned to look at her and she gasped out loud unable to control the reaction. Sparkling green eyes held her gaze intently. “Oh my god,” she whispered intently.
“What is it?!” Vincent demanded. “What do you see?”
The probing at her temples was back with a fierceness that had been missing last time. She lost focus and the image turned to a swirl of fog that swallowed the man and the memory back into the mist. Possibly lost forever…
“Why did you do that?” Ally yelled at Vincent. “It was right there!”
He grabbed her arm violently and stared at her with eyes so full of accusation and anger, that she knew it was time to lie again. She felt in that moment that her life may actually depend on it.
“What did you see?” he asked again menacingly.
“Let me go,” she seethed back. “You’re hurting me.” Using her free hand she pushed him with all her might. He flew across the room and slammed into the wall.
Ally sat there stunned with her mouth forming an O.
Vincent got up and dusted himself off then began to stalk back to the side of her bed. Ally shrank lower and lower into herself. “W...w...what just happened?”
She was terrified of the look in his eyes and of what she had just done.
“Well,” he began to drawl. “It seems that even though you forgot that you were in possession of supernatural powers, you’re still
able to use them when threatened…Interesting.”
“What?!” she demanded. The rage burning in her belly had come out of nowhere and was overtaking everything. Her vision was beginning to turn red. “You knew I had ‘powers’ or whatever and you never told me? You’ve been telling me to give you a second chance and trust you, but then you go all psycho on me! What the hell is your problem?”
“I was testing you.” The hate had left his eyes and now a profound regret took its place. “I thought that if you felt threatened it might somehow break through. There are so many things that I need to tell you, but without some proof I knew you’d never believe me.”
Ally didn’t believe it for a second. Now that she’d seen the force of genuine emotion run through him. She knew that everything else that he had told her was a lie and that creature that had threatened her was the true face. She withheld the shudder. If his true face was rage and a passion of unimaginable depths, then she was in trouble and she would need every bit of strength to pull off her deception. No matter what she was required to do…she would do it. “What are you talking about? And how did you know that I was in possession of these powers and what are they?”
“I will answer your questions, but please tell me…what did you see?”
She shook head. “I didn’t see anything.”
“That’s a lie and we both know it, Alessandra.” The dangerous glint was creeping back into his eyes, despite his best efforts to control the emotion. “You said ‘oh my God’ that implies something happened.”
“All I saw was the fog beginning to clear and a very fuzzy image of two people standing near each other. I don’t know if it would have gotten any clearer, but we’ll never know because you interrupted me and sent it running in the opposite direction.”
Vincent’s body sagged slightly and Ally had the distinct impression that it was from relief. What don’t you want me to see?
“I’m sorry,” he reached out and squeezed her hand. “I truly am.”
Ally tried to hide her disappointment with a shrug.
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